The Here and Now: A Mafia Story
by I Wear the Crown
Summary: This fanfic is based on the short lived TV show, Cashmere Mafia. This is my first fanfic attempt. I hope you enjoy!
1. Lunch

**CHAPTER 1 LUNCH**

"How could I have gotten into this mess?" Zoe sits back and looks at Mia. The women are at lunch, talking about the events of the last couple of days.

"I can't believe Grant acted that way...In front of all those people!!" Mia was in shock over the backlash that enveloped her since the show last night. Not only did she loose a friend and mentor, but everyone in New York now thought she was a bitch. "Am I really a bitch?" she asks.

"No, honey, you're not a bitch," replies Zoe.

"Of course you're not," Caitlin chimes in.

"Well, maybe just a little," teases Juliette, "but it's not that noticable."

The women laugh at this and set their sights on the problems at hand. Zoe tells them about her dinner date with Eric and the "supermom."

"She's trying to make herself available for him. Not only is she attractive, but now she wants Eric to remodel their kitchen."

"It sounds innocent enough to me," Caitlin says. "Besides, he's completely in love with you. Why would he want to be with someone else?"

Juliette looks from Caitlin to Zoe, "She's attracted to him, isn't she?" Zoe nods. "She's going to make you play her game by her rules. I say, turn the tables on her and let her know you know what she's doing."

"That just might work," Mia says excitedly. "If she know that you're on to her game with Eric, she'll realize it's futile to try anything else."

"Yeah, either that or she'll try more subtle things." Mia throws a piece of bread at Caitlin for the remark. "What?!?! It's true; she only has those two viable options."

The women discuss ways to help Zoe out before Caitlin remembers about Juiette's date with Bobby. "How did your date go last night, Jules?" Caitlin asks coyly.

"It was...refreshing. Bobby is a wonderful man and still very charming. As we talked, I explained the situation to him and he was fine with it. Actually, I think it intrigued him."

"So, tell us, what happened?" Mia looked anxiously a Juliette, waiting for the details.

"Nothing...We had drinks, he walked me out and we kissed. I told him I would call him when I was ready."

"This sounds like it will be just the thing to help you with your Davis issues," Caitlin says.

"Speaking of issues, Caitlin, how did the lesbian..."

"POTENTIAL LESBIAN, Zoe."

"Okay, potential lesbian, date go? You don't seem quite yourself today."

"It was great until I messed up last night. We were having a fabulous time until one of my exes showed up. He came over and started talking about me playing for both teams and I freaked out; I didn't know what to say. I looked like a stamering fool in front of both of them."

"It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" asked Juliette.

"Oh, it was bad alright. She came into the show and freaked out on me." affirmed Mia.

"Yes, it was that bad. She left the bar with this hurt look on her face; I was sure she never wanted to see me again. But...I saw her this morning on the way to work and I tried to explain myself. I told her I didn't know what to say or how to act now. She understood, and I guess we're okay now."

"Good, you deserve to be happy...We all do." Zoe looks around the table as she says this. "Now is our time to get our lives back, our happiness back. Now..."

"SHIT!!! I'm late for a meeting. Sorry girls, I've got to go. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Caitlin, Juliette and Zoe all laugh as Mia runs out the door. "I guess we had all better be getting back to work. I've got a conference all I can't miss."


	2. Dinner, anyone?

**CHAPTER 2 DINNER, ANYONE?**

What am I going to do, Caitlin thought to herself. As she sat in silence at her desk, the events of the previous evening came rushing back into her mind. The date, the dancing, the kiss, the ex... The last thought made her cringe. Why did he have to be there and come over to talk to her.

She took a long sip of her Mocha Frappuchino and relaxed back into her chair. She knew what she had to do and she needed to do it now. Picking the phone up, she dialed Alicia's number, hoping she would answer. "Hey, Alicia. Are you busy tonight?"

"I'm supposed to have drinks with some friends later, why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner later. I have a new recipe for Curry-Thai Chicken that I was going to fix tonight." Curry-Thai chicken?!?!?! I must be out of my mind for a lame pick-up line like that, Caitlin thought.

"That would be nice, I love chicken. What time should I come over?" Alicia asked.

"How about 6:30? Is that okay with you?"

"That's great. Do I need to bring anything?"

"No, just yourself. Any special requests?" Caitlin was trying to feel her out as to what she liked, but Alicia was no help at all.

"No. Surprise me!"

"Okay, I'll see you at 6:30 then. Bye."

"See you soon. Bye."

Caitlin hung up the phone feeling refreshed and invigorated. Now, she had to figure out a game plan for the night. How was she going to get all this ready in 4 hours??

She sat back up and moved towards her computer. She needed to email Zoe, Juliette and Mia to see if they had any suggestions. She pulled up her email and began typing frantically.

_Need help with a date tonight. I am cooking, but I need some ideas for the evening. Any suggestions?_

While she was waiting, she started working on a new layout for the photo shoot next week. She looked at possible locations and finally decided on the front steps of her brothers church. Wedding season was just around the corner, and she had an amazing new line of colors coming out in the next few weeks. She gave her brother a call and--25 minutes later--secured the church for her shoot on Tuesday.

Caitlin noticed the email icon on the bottom of her computer and hurriedly opened the program. There were three new emails with same subject line: _Date Night help_.

_I like a good wine with my dinner. Try a Sauvignon Blanc with dinner. Also, don't forget the candles and flowers! Set the mood and you'll have her coming back for more. Jules_

_Make sure the appetizer and dessert go with the meal. I prefer a green goddess dip with grilled shrimp as an appetizer and tiramisu for dessert. Both are elegant choices and relatively easy to make. Hope it goes well. Zoe_

_Why don't you just go by Max's and get takeout? You can make it look home-made pretty easily, trust me. But...if you insist on cooking, go with healthy side items. Steamed or grilled asparagus is tasty and goes well with rice pilaf. Oh, by the way...yes we did call each other to figure out what we were going to send you. Have fun and don't forget the details, we will ask you about them tomorrow. Mia _

Caitlin sat back and laughed at the thought of the three of them discussing what they were going to tell her. She forwarded each email to her phone and began shutting everything down. She had under 4 hours to shop, cook and get dressed for the evening. She grabbed her coat, turned off the lights and closed the door on her way out. The glowing look on her face let everyone know she was leaving for the day.

She got a cab and went to the store a couple blocks from her place. With her list in hand, she got everything she need to make the evening perfect. Caitlin walked through her door at 3:45 and sat the items on the counter. A quick change of clothes and she was ready to go.

As she began fixing dinner, the door bell rang. When she opened the door, she was overjoyed to see Zoe, Juliette and Mia looking back at her. "We figured that you may need some help to pull all this together," Mia joked. The women came in, grabbed a glass of wine, and began helping Caitlin plan her evening.

"I am so glad you guys came over," exclaimed Caitlin. "I was wondering how I was going to get it all together. I really should learn to think before I open my mouth sometimes." They all laughed, knowing that Caitlin's mouth had gotten her into trouble more times than one.

They laughed and talked about their plans for the evening. Mia was going to look for an apartment, Zoe was taking the kids to the park, and Juliette was trying to decide if she was going to call Bobby. "Call him, what could it hurt?" Zoe asked. "It's not like he's going to tell you he doesn't want to see you."

"I'll think about it. Let's just make sure Caitlin is ready to go before we plan anything else for me," Juliette says.

By six o'clock, everything was prepared and where it needed to be. The flowers were arranged, the wine chilling, and the women were saying goodnight to Caitlin. "Thank you all so much for all your help! I don't know what I would do without you guys. I'll see you all tomorrow." Caitlin closed the door and went to get ready. A quick shower and a change of clothes later, it's almost time for Alicia to arrive.

Caitlin turns on some music and lights the candles. There must be 20 candles burning, she thought. Juliette had arranged the candles in various places throughout the dining room, kitchen and living room. She did have to admit though, it looked very romantic. The door bell rang, stopping her train of thought. Caitlin looked around one last time to make sure everything was perfect and headed to the door.

"Alicia, hi. Come on in."


	3. If at first you don't succeed

**CHAPTER 3 IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...**

"Let me take your coat." Caitlin takes Alicia's coat and hangs it in the hall closet. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Thank you, that would be great. I'm glad you called me this afternoon," says Alicia.

"Well, I ruined our date last night and wanted to make it up to you. I feel terrible about what happened."

"It's fine, things like that happen. I understand that this is a new thing for you and that it's going to take time to process. However, something smells wonderful. What did you fix?"

"Nothing special, I just threw some things together," she said sheepishly, secretly thanking the girls for all their help.

"If that's nothing, I would love to see what you could do with more time." Alicia smiled at Caitlin, taking her breath away.

"You can have a seat in the living room and I'll bring your wine to you. I hope you like Sauvingnon Blanc." Caitlin goes into the kitchen and gets the appetizer Zoe prepared and takes it back out into the living room. Alicia is sitting on the couch taking in the surroundings.

"I love your place, Caitlin. It's so warm and inviting. The candles are a nice touch. Have I ever told you that wild flowers are my favorite?" Alicia looks at Caitlin and smiles. _I never would have thought about her going to all this trouble_, Alicia thinks to herself.

"Really? They're my favorite, too. They remind me of walking through the park as a little girl. I used to pick them for my mom." Caitlin is taken back to her childhood for a moment before she remembers the food and wine in her hand.

"I hope you don't have any shellfish allergies, or else this could be really bad. You don't, do you?" Caitlin looks expectedly at Alicia, waiting for some sort of confirmation.

"Well...I do have...I'm just kidding. I'm not allergic to anything, so you should be safe with dinner tonight," Alicia jokes to Caitlin.

"Great. Let me put this stuff down and go check on the chicken and I'll be right back." Caitlin carefully sits the food and wine on the table in the living room and goes back into the kitchen. _Okay, calm down. She's just another human being, nothing special...except for the fact that I am totally in to her_. Caitlin tries to forces the butterflies from her stomach. She can't remember the last time she felt this way about someone, or if she ever really has. She checks the chicken before returning to the living room.

"It shouldn't be much longer before dinner is ready. How's the shrimp?"

"This is wonderful. I can't believe you had time to do all of this. I am definately impressed."

"I would be lying if I said I did it all myself. I had some help from my friends. They know that this evening is important to me and they wanted to help me make it perfect," Caitlin admits. "I don't want you to think any less of me, but I want to be completely honest with you, too."

"Everyone needs help. Although, I will have to remember your friends the next time I throw a dinner party," Alicia laughs. "So...tell me more about yourself, Ms. Dowd."

"What do you want to know? I grew up here in New York, across the bridge in Brooklyn. After high school I went to business school where I met Mia, Zoe and Juliette. We all ended up moving back here and each of our careers were born. Mia choose the publishing route, Zoe choose the investment route, Juliette decided on the hotel industry and I went with my passion." Caitlin watched Alicia to see if she could tell what she was thinking. "So, that's me in a nutshell. Most people like the abbreviated version, so that's what I stick to now days."

"Well, I'm not most people." _DING! _"Saved by the bell."

"That's dinner. If you want to grab your glass of wine, you can go into the dining room. I'll have dinner out in just a minute." Thankful for the timer going off, Caitlin hurries to the kitchen to get the chicken out of the oven. _Why can't I get myself together_, she thinks to herself. _I have a beautiful woman here with me and I can't do anything but look at her. Aaaggghhh!_ Caitlin takes the chicken out of the oven and the asparagus and rice from the warmer.

"Do you need any help in there?" Alicia asks.

"No, I'm fine. Just relax and I'll be right there." Caitlin takes another look around the kitchen to survey the dinner. She takes the asparagus and rice into the dining room and sits them on the table before she goes back for the chicken. "Do you need anything else while I'm up? More wine?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Caitlin returns with the chicken and the chilled bottle of wine and sits down at the table next to Alicia. "What should we toast to tonight," she asks.

"How about to food, friends and the most romantic dinner date I've possibly ever been on?"

"I'll toast to that," Caitlin says.

During dinner, they talk about their day and the ad campaign surrounding the photo shoot next week. "The steps to the church are going to be a beautiful background for the start of wedding season. We should be able to take the photos and build an awesome ad around them. How did you get the church on such short notice?"

"Actually, my brother is a priest at the church. I called him up this afternoon and asked him about using it. He said that there wasn't anything going on Tuesday at the church and that we should be fine there for the afternoon." Caitlin looked at Alicia to see her reaction about her brother being a priest.

"Wow, it's nice to have friends in high places I guess." The wine is beginning to take effect and they both laugh and begin to relax a little more. "The curry-thai chicken was superb. I've never had chicken quite like it before. Thank you."

"Would you like some dessert? I have some home-made Tiramisu in the fridge, just waiting to be eaten," Caitlin playfully says.

"I think I would. I haven't had Tiramisu in a long time."

"Okay, I'll go get it and I'll put on a pot of coffee...unless you want to stick with the wine."

"Actually, I think the wine will be just fine."

Caitlin can feel herself starting to blush as she walks into the kitchen. She gets the dessert ready and carries them each a plate back to the table. "Here you go, I hope you like it. Would you like to go into the living room with this?"

"Yeah, that would be nice," Alicia says.

They walk back into the living room and notice that the sun has gone down. The candles are giving off a seductive light that seems to glow with anticipation. They sit down on the couch and quietly begin eating their dessert. _What do I do now? Is it the same as being with a guy? Of course it's not the same! Oh my god, what do I do?!?!?!!_

As if reading her thoughts, Alicia sits her plate down on the table and slides closer to Caitlin. She takes Caitlin's plate and sits it next to hers on the table. Slowly, she moves in and kisses Caitlin gently on the lips. Caitlin's body goes limp for a moment, reeling with delight. She regains control of herself and moves her hands to Alicia's face. _She has the softest skin I have ever felt_, thinks Caitlin.

Alicia pulls slowly away from her, looking into her eyes with a passion Caitlin has never seen before. "I am so glad you called me this afternoon. I have wanted to do that to you since I saw you on the way to work this morning."

Caitlin sits back a little, unsure of what she should do next. "I've wanted that too," she says. She leans closer to Alicia and pulls her close for another kiss. "Do you want to stay with me tonight?"

"I thought you would never ask."


	4. Try, try again

**CHAPTER 4 TRY, TRY AGAIN**

Mia, Zoe and Juliette said their goodbye's outside of Caitlin's condo.

"I am not looking forward to apartment hunting this evening. Maybe I'll just call my realtor and reschedule." Mia looks out over the lights, a far away look in her eyes.

"I would rather be looking for an apartement than having to look for a nanny," Zoe sighed. "Do you know how difficult it is to find a good nanny? Eric and I have been looking for a week and a half now, and no one seems to be right."

"Just don't run yourself ragged about it. I'm sure things will be fine. Besides, you could be going home to a cheating husband."

"Touche', you have a point, Jules," Zoe says. "You are a better woman than I am for staying with him. What are you going to do about Bobby?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll have to make a decision sooner or later."

"Well, I hate to bust up this little party, but I have to go look at apartments, unless anyone has any better plans."

Zoe and Juliette look at each other quizically. "I could spare a couple hours for drinks," Zoe says. "How about you, Jules?"

"I have some time, and this will kill Davis not knowing where I am. I'm in."

"Great! I'll call my realtor and reschedule. Where are we going?"

"I don't know. We could go to Max's for dinner and drinks, or we could go to the bar across the street. What do you feel like, Jules?"

"Let's do dinner and drinks at Max's. I've got nothing better planned."

Mia hails a cab and they head over to Max's.

"I hope dinner goes well for Caitlin. She needs someone good," Mia says.

"I know. She's had terrible luck with men. It's about time something positive happens to her. What did you say the name of that appetizer was, Zoe?"

"It's a green goddess dip with grilled shrimp. It's absolutely wonderful."

The cab arrives at Max's and the three women get out. "I've got it this time. Next time, you drive, Zoe," Mia laughs.

The women walk casually into Max's. After they request a table, Juliette looks over and sees Cilla Grey sitting with an unknown man. "Looks like the trash is out tonight," she says dryly.

Mia and Zoe both look over to see who she is talking about. "We don't have to stay here, Jules," Zoe says. "We can go somewhere else."

"Why would we do that? She's already seen us, and if we left, she would think she's won. We can't let her think that now, can we?"

The women are shown to their table ten feet from Cilla.

"Excuse me for one minute," she says to the gentleman, " I need to speak to some _friends_." She gets up and walks over to the table.

"I'm surprised to see the three of you here tonight. I figured you'd all be home playing wife," she says coolly. "But wait, that's not true for all of you. Sorry to hear about what happened, Mia. I guess he just couldn't keep up."

With a smile on her face, Mia looks up from the menu. "I'm surprised to see you here, too. I figured you would be out wrecking a home. Oh, that's right, you've already done that."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You can drop the innocent act, Cilla. I know about you and Davis," Juliette says. "I know you know, so stop the pathetic act."

"Fine. Where's Catilin? I thought she would want to be here."

"It doesn't matter where she is; that's her business," Zoe replies. "Where are your flying monkeys?"

"They're at home resting, but thanks for asking. Give Caitlin and her _friend_ my best."

"What friend are you refering to," asks Juliette.

"Oh, don't tell me the mafia doesn't know about one of their own," she says mockingly. Cilla looks triumphantly at the three women. "Her new friend she was kissing on the street this morning. And, I must say, _she _is very attractive."

"Whoever she chooses to spend her time with is none of your business," Zoe replies coldly. "We don't judge each other like other people apparently do."

"Don't get so defensive, Zoe. I'm sure she doesn't care who knows since she was in the middle of the sidewalk. There were more people than just me passing by."

"Do you have anything worth-while to say, or are you just wanting to fill the room with hot air," Mia says. "'Cause if that's all you're wanting to do, go do it somewhere else. I'd like to get my drink cold, not boiling."

"Well, I can see I have nothing more to say here. Have a lovely evening." Cilla made her way back to her table, a low laugh audible behind her.

"Can I just tell you how much I don't like her," Mia says.

"I know. She'll get what's coming to her in due time. For now, we have to figure out what she's up to. I don't like the way she was talking about Caitlin." Juliette glances over at Cilla's table, "There's something she's hiding, but I just can't put my finger on it."

"I agree, she's up to something. We need to talk to Caitlin in the morning," Zoe says. "But...there's nothing we can do about it now. The question is, does anyone have an appetite now?"

"Not really, but I could use a drink." Mia looks over the drink menu as the waiter walks up to the table. "I"ll take a Long Island Iced Tea. What do you all want?"

"I'll have a glass of Chardoney," Zoe says, eyeing the drink list.

"I think I'm going to have a Martini, please. I need something stiff." Juliette glares at the back of Cilla's head a few feet away. "I'll call Caitlin first thing in the morning. We need to meet for lunch and see how her date went."

The waiter brings their drinks back and asks if there is anything else he can get for them. "No, I think one is all I can stomach tonight," Zoe says. "Please just bring the check."

The waiter comes back with the check and the women pay for their drinks. "So much for having a nice dinner this evening. Let's go before we waste and entire evening near the witch." Mia gets up and takes her coat, Juliette and Zoe are right behind her.

"Call us after you talk with Caitlin in the morning, Jules. We'll meet for lunch and decide what we're going to do about _her_," Zoe says. She calls her driver and asks him to pick her up.

Mia looks at her schedule for tomorrow and confirms lunch. Zoe's driver arrives and she says goodbye to her friends and heads home. Mia and Juliette each hail a cab and go their seperate ways for the evening. All three know that tomorrow will bring news in all forms and fashion.


	5. First Encounters

**CHAPTER 5 FIRST ENCOUNTERS...**

Caitlin's head was spinning faster than it ever had before. Thoughts of Alicia's warm skin pressed against her own made her shiver with delight. The smell of her hair and the soft scent of her perfume made Caitlin weak in the knees.

Alicia pulled out of their kiss, keeping both eyes on Caitlin. "Are you sure you're ready for this," she asked. "I don't want you to do something you might regret later."

Caitlin looked at Alicia for a long moment, her eyes gazing at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. "I'm not going to regret this. I've known from the moment I first saw you that I wanted to somehow be with you." She leaned in to Alicia, laying her back onto the couch.

The fire within her own body amazed her, intensifying with every kiss, every touch. Caitlin ran her hands slowly up and down Alicia's body. She had never felt something as familiar or as foreign before in her life. Alicia's body mirrored that of Caitlin's almost exactly. Touching Alicia was an extension of touching herself. Experience played no part in her movements; she knew what she liked and wanted Alicia to feel those pleasures, too.

As Caitlin caressed her, Alicia arched her body into Caitlin, feeling her tense with pleasure. Alicia moved one hand down Caitlin's back until the found the curved indention at the base of her spine. Slowly, she began moving her shirt up until she could feel the fleash of Caitlin's back.

Caitlin slowly began kissing her neck, outlining every shape of Alicia's jaw and collar bones. "Let's move this somewhere more comfortable," she whispered to Alicia.


	6. The Hardest to Forget

**CHAPTER 6 THE HARDEST TO FORGET**

Mia walked slowly to the door of her apartment. Since Jack left, she's hated being at home. The apartment felt cold and lonely, and all she could do was think about him. Everything was a reminder of him; the statue he bought when they were on vacation in Italy, the coffee pot he used every morning. _I can't do this tonight_, she thought to herself.

She put her key in the lock and turned it, opening the door. She hadn't even bothered to tell the girls about how she was feeling. The loneliness had taken over her body, but she kept up a good front so no one could see her weakness. Weakness...that's what she thought this was.

Nothing in the apartment had changed since he left. He had taken enough clothes to last him a few weeks, but nothing else. The note he left laying on the counter for her that day was burned into her mind:

_Mia,_

_I'm sorry that I hurt you, but I just can't do this. I can't be _

_the man you need me to be. Pack up the things you don't want_

_and I'll take them. You can send them to my parents' house. I_

_always loved you._

_Jack_

It's been two weeks and she had not packed anything. _I guess tonight's the night then_. She changed into an old t-shirt and a pair of sweats. If she was going to go on this journey, she was atleast going to be comfortable. She pulled out some boxes from the closet and set them down at the foot of the bed.

Mia didn't even know where to start. She began taking his clothes off the hangers and folding them neatly. She pulled an old college shirt out of the closet and held it up to her face. This was her favorite shirt; the shirt that most reminded her of him. The smell of Armani was permanently in the shirt. She threw the shirt up on the pillows, not ready to part with it just yet. The boxes were filling up fast and the closet looked bare and empty.

She sat down on the floor at the foot of the bed and just stared at the empty space in the closet. This was it, he was really gone. Up until this point, she had a tiny hope that he would be back. Now, seeing his clothes packed up, she knew he was gone. Her eyes began to fill up with tears, ready to fall at any moment.

She looked around the room, at the life they had built together. The pictures still hung on the walls, looking as if nothing had changed. A tear ran down her cheek, giving way to the pent up emotions inside of her. Mia lowered her head in to her hands and sobbed. She cried for the loss of Jack and for the emptiness she felt inside. Was winning worth loosing what she truly loved?

Images of their relationship ran through her mind. The year that they were together seemed like forever. Every touch, every fight, every kiss, every time they made love was as vivid then as it was when it happened. She didn't know if she could be here, in this apartment, and ever feel whole again. Somewhere, in the mist of her thoughts, she feel asleep, dreaming of a love lost.


	7. A Long Night

**CHAPTER 7 A LONG NIGHT**

Caitlin led Alicia down the hallway to her bedroom, a million thoughts running through her mind. _Please let me be good at this_, she silently thought to herself. When they reached the foot of her bed, Caitlin turned to look at Alicia. She took in the sight of her body and could only imagine what she looked like naked.

Alicia began to unbutton Caitlin's top, gently kissing her neck. As the last button was freed, she slid the shirt off of Caitlin's shoulders, exposing her lacey black bra. "You know what they say about women who wear black underwear, don't you?" she said smoothly. Alicia's hands found their way to the back of her bra and she unclasped and removed it in one fluid motion, kissing every inch of Caitlin's exposed skin all the while.

The exhiliration that Caitlin felt at this moment was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She could feel her body heating up, yearning for more. She grabbed Alicia by the shoulders and spun her around onto the bed. She was now laying on top of her, kissing her passionately. Caitlin ran her left hand down Alicia's leg as her right hand was moving her shirt up her body. _I love the feel of her skin on mine_, she thought. Alicia was wearing a camisole top with a bra, leaving nothing else to take off.

Caitlin was drawn to the firm suppleness that was Alicia's breasts. They were perfect. Until this point, she had never considered the fact that they were even there. She kissed her breasts tenderly, not wanting to damage even the tiniest molecule. Caitlin took her right breast in her hand and slowly moved her tongue around and over the nipple. She could feel it getting harder under the warmth of her breath. She lowered her mouth on to it and began sucking on it gently, applying a small amount of pressure.

Alicia moaned with delight and grabbed the back of Caitlin's head. Caitlin moved to the other side and began teasing her again. Feeling more confident, she moved her her lips down the side of Alicia's ribs until she met the soft fabric of her pants. Caitlin knelt down at the bottom of the bed and looked up at Alicia. _This is it_, she thought.

Alicia motioned for her to come back up the bed and Caitlin obliged by moving seductively on top of her. Alicia rolled over on to her side and looked at Caitlin, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Caitlin nodded and Alicia pulled her close. Her hands were lightly tracing the shape of Caitlin's spine, making her tremble with anticipation. Alicia stood up and took off the rest of her clothes, her body glistening in the moonlight. She moved her self between Caitlin's legs and moved her hands to the button on her pants. With the precision of a surgeon, Alicia removed the last articles of clothing Caitlin had on. Alicia moved slowly onto Caitlin, intertwining their bodies.

The night that ensued was filled with passion, new beginnings and firsts. Caitlin had never experienced the multitude of orgasms or the high that came from being with Alicia. The unbridled sexual energy that Caitlin possessed was not wasted on Alicia and made for a very long night.


	8. The Morning After

**CHAPTER 8 THE MORNING AFTER**

The sun shone brightly through the windows onto the bed. Caitlin slowly woke up and realized that last night was not a dream; that it was real. She looked over her shoulder and saw Alicia laying there, still asleep.

Caitlin eased out of bed and slipped into an old shirt. She quietly made her way down the hall and into the kitchen. The dishes from the night before were exactly as they had left them. She began picking them up and putting them in the dishwasher, clearing enough space on the counter for her to start breakfast. _I can't believe what a beautiful morning this is_, she happily thought. _If I had known this is what it was like, I would have become a lesbian years ago._

Caitlin is so engrossed in her happy thoughts that she doesn't hear Alicia come in. "Can I help you this morning?"

Caitlin, startled at the sound of her voice, jumps and knocks over the glass of milk she just poured. "I was going to make breakfast for us. Any suggestions?"

"How do you feel about french toast?"

"Not only do I love it, but I also make the best french toast this side of the Mississippi." Caitlin gives Alicia a big smile. "You can either help me with breakfast, or I can run you a bath and let you relax while I do all the work."

"You make a very good offer, but I think I will help you with breakfast and then _WE_ can enjoy a bath together."

"I like the way you think," Caitlin smiles. "But before we get started, how about you come over here?"

Alicia walks over to the kitchen where Caitlin is standing, puts her arms around her and kisses her deeply. She runs her hands up and down Caitlin's back, caressing her lithe frame. Caitlin moves her back against the counter, gathering the bottom of Alicia's robe, exposing her smooth legs. "You want to skip breakfast?"

"I thought you'd never ask."


	9. Morning Rendezvous

**CHAPTER 9 MORNING RENDEZVOUS**

The alarm rings and Juliette slowly rolls over to turn it off. Even though she slept well last night, her mind still lingers on Cilla and the events of the night before. _A perfectly good morning already ruined by her_, she thought to herself. Nevertheless, she gets out of bed and grabs her phone. She sends Caitlin a text message to call here ASAP and heads to the shower.

The water is hot and the steam is having it's desired effect on her body. Still wondering what Cilla is up to, Juliette lets the water run over her body and wash away her thoughts. Twenty minutes later, she steps out of the shower feeling refreshed and ready for whatever comes her way.

Standing in front of her closet, she picks out a pair of khaki pants, a white shirt and the brown Prada sandals she bought last week. The weather is warm today and, who knows, the girls may try to get in some shopping that afternoon.

Juliette looks at her phone and sees that Caitlin hasn't texted or called her back yet. _Someone must have had a good night_, she chuckled to herself. She dialed Caitlin's home number and it rang a couple of times before the machine picked up. "I'm not here so leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can." BEEEEP! "Caitlin, it's Jules. Call me as soon as you get this. We ran into Cilla last night and she's up to something. We're going to meet for lunch today and talk. Talk to you soon."

She put down the phone and looked at herself in the mirror. "Maybe a change will do me some good." She grabbed her phone again and quickly dialed Zoe's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey,Zo. Do you have any plans this morning before lunch?"

"No. Eric took the kids to the park for the day. He wanted spend some "father" time with them today. Why?"

"I thought we could go to the spa this morning. I need facial and a massage before we tackle this thing with Cilla."

"Sounds great. Where to this morning?"

"Metatmorphosis, down on East 56th St. I'll call Mia and see if she wants to join us."

"Okay. Did you call Caitlin yet?"

"I called and texted her earlier, but I haven't heard from her yet. I hope that's a good sign. I left her a message and told her we were meeting for lunch, though."

"Great. Let me get dressed and I'll meet you there in half an hour?"

"Sounds great. Bye!"

"Bye!"

As soon as Juliette hung up the phone, she immediately begain dialing Mia's number. "Hello?" A groggy voice answered on the other end.

"Mia, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I had a late night last night when I got back. I decided I was going to pack up Jack's things and fell asleep in the floor. Whoever said hard floors were good for your back must have been on something. What's up?"

"Zoe and I are going to the spa this morning before lunch. Do you want to come with us?"

"I haven't been to the spa in weeks. I would say I'm due for some maintenance. Where are we going?"

"Metamorphosis, on East 56th Street."

"I love that place!"

"Okay, great then. Get dressed and we'll meet you there in half and hour. See you soon."

"Bye."

Juliette hung up the phone and took one last look in the mirror. She grabbed her jacket and purse and walked out the door. As she was hailing a cab, Caitlin was calling her back. "Hello?"

"Is everything okay? I got your text."

"Everything is fine. Did you get my message?"

"No, we, **I **just got out of the bath."

"Well...We're going to meet for lunch later, but now Mia, Zoe and I are going to the spa. Care to join us, or do you have _other_ plans?"

"Let me get back to you on that. Where will you be?"

"Metamorphasis, on East 56th Street, in about half an hour."

"I'll call you back and let you know."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Juliette smiled as the cab pulled up. _Some things will never change with her_, she thought to herself.

"Where to, lady?"

"Metamorphasis Day Spa on East 56th Street."

With those directions, that cab pulled out into traffic and they were on their way.


	10. The Spa

**CHAPTER 10 THE SPA**

As the cab pulled up in front of the spa, Juliette's phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Hey, I'll be there in 5 minutes," Caitlin said.

"I just got here myself, so I'm going in to see if Mia and Zoe are here yet."

"Okay, see you in a few."

"Bye."

Juliette paid the driver and walked into the building. Mia and Zoe were sitting in the lounge laughing at a stupid joke Mia had just told.

"Caitlin will be here in a few minutes, so we might as well wait on her," she said.

"I'm surprised you actually spoke with her this morning," Mia said. "I wonder how things went last night?"

"I think they went rather well. From what I could gather on the phone, Alicia was still there this morning."

"Really?!?! If that's the case, she's going to have to give us the details," Zoe anxiously said.

Just then, Caitlin walks into the spa with a spring in her step and positively glowing. "Good morning, girls."

"I'm glad one of us had a good morning," Mia says. "By the looks of it, you not only had a good morning, but also a good night."

Caitlin blushes as the girls look at her with wondering eyes. "I might have, but you'll just have to wait to find out." Her smile brightens up the room and Mia, Zoe and Juliette know that can only mean one thing.

"Let's go get checked in and we can drill Caitlin on it while we relax," Juliette smiles.

The four friends walk up to the desk and pay for their European Facials and a deep tissue massages. A few minutes later, they are undressed and in their robes, ready for the pampering that awaits.

"So, are you going to tell us or not?" Mia asks. "You really could spare us the agony of waiting and just give us the juicy details now."

"I could, or I could let you wonder a while longer," Caitlin says coyly. "But, then again, I never really was good at keeping a juicy secret.

"I really do want to thank you all for all your help, I couldn't have done it all by myself."

"We were glad we could help," Zoe interjects.

"Dinner was fabulous and she loved everything. After dinner, we took the dessert in to the living room. She is an amazing person; so full of life and very intelligent."

"You're trying to stall. Out with it woman!" Mia pleads.

"Okay, fine. I have never had an experience like that in my life. No man has **ever **satisfied me or made me feel the way she did. Everything was amazing. If I had known that this was part of being a lesbian, I would have made the switch--or atleast tried it--a long time ago." The four of them laugh at Caitlin's last statement.

"I must say, I enjoyed it at Wellesly, but I like the fact that I can bring a man back begging for," Mia says coolly. "We know that the women control the power in a relationship, even if it is because we choose whether or not to give it up."

"Being at an all-girls school definately made it accessible, but I knew I always wanted kids. I tried it once, but I could never shake the thought of kids," Zoe says.

"It would have been nice of you to share these revelations with me before hand," Caitlin playfully says. "I don't know if I've ever been as nervous as I was last night. I didn't know if it would work the same as with a guy, but I think I passed with flying colors."

"Really? And how can you be so sure," Juliette poses.

"Because she'll be there when I get home after lunch." Anyone in the room could see the glow from under Caitlin's facial mask, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that she was happy.

"Speaking of lunch, why don't you invite her to join us? We all want to meet her," Mia says.

"Yes, please do, Caitlin," Zoe chimes in.

"I'll call her and ask, but I can't make any promises," she says.

By this time, it was time to end their facials and go enjoy their deep tissue massages. The girls promised to wait for each other in the lounge after they were done and finish their conversation.


End file.
